Method of making a grab bar



Nov. 17, 1964 H. H. LOGAN 3,156,977

METHOD OF MAKING A GRAB BAR Filed July 26, 1960 INVENTOR. //U6H 1 064A/ United States Patent 3,156,977 METHGD 9F MAKING A GRAB BAR Hugh H. Logan, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Logan Hospital Equipment Co Glendale, Califi, a corporation of California Filed July 26, 196%),Ser. No. 45,377 1 (Ilaim. (Cl. 29-475) This invention relates generally to so-called grab bars and, more particularly, to an improved grab bar and method of making the same.

A grab bar is a metal bar or rod having mounting plates at its ends by which it may be attached to a wall or other supporting surface. Such grab bars are commonly installed in homes, hospitals, and other institutions, for example, in positions where they may be grasped by persons to steady themselves.

Grab bars are made in various shapes and sizes and are mounted in various positions. For example, the bar may be generally U-shaped with a straight center or grip portion and may be mounted so that this center portion of the bar is either horizontal, vertical, or at some intermediate angle. Alternatively, the center portion of the bar may be bent to a desired shape, such as a generally L-shape, and mounted so that one part of the bar extends in one direction, such as horizontally, and another part of the bar extends in another direction, such as vertically, for example.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved grab bar of the character described having a grip section with a multi-sided configuration that minimizes slippage between the section and the hand of a person grasping the bar, and a method of making the bar by cold metal-working techniques.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grab bar of the character described and a method of making the same, which are simple, economical and result in a grab bar which possesses both maximum utility and pleasing appearance.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent as the description proceeds.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a View, in perspective, of one form of the present grab bar;

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate an initial step in the manufacture of the grab bar of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates an intermediate step in the manufacture of the grab bar of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates the final step in the manufacture of the grab bar of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified grab bar of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of the grab bar in FIG. 6.

Referring now to this drawing, and especially to FIG. 1 thereof, the grab bar 16 of the invention will be seen to comprise a slender metal rod 12, such as a relatively heavy walled tube, the middle or grip portion 14 of which has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending flats 15 which provide this grip portion of the bar with a multi-sided configuration. The two end portions 16 of the rod are bent at right angles to the multisided grip portion 14 thereof in such a way that the end portions 16 extend coplanarly in the same direction with respect to the grip portion. It will be observed that the flats 15 terminate before the bends at the ends of the rod and that the end portions 16 are cylindrical and smooth. The reason for this will be described shortly.

Mounted on the extreme ends of the rod are wall mounting plates 18. These plates have holes 20 which thereto.

3,15%,977. Patented Nov. 17, 1964 receive the smooth, cylindrical ends 16 of the rod with a close fit. The mounting plates 18 are rigidly joined to the rod 12 in any suitable way, such as by brazing or welding. The mounting plates 18 have holes 22 to receive mounting screws for attaching the mounting plates to a wall.

The present method of making the grab bar of FIG. 1 involves the initial step of producing a rod having smooth, cylindrical ends and a multi-sided grip portion between said ends. This may be accomplished in various ways. According to the preferred method illustrated in the drawing, a cylindrical metal rod R such as a heavy walled tube, is passed longitudinally through the multisided opening 0 in a draw die D to produce a rod R having a multi-sidecl configuration. The ends of this rod are then turned down to provide a rod R having smooth, cylindrical ends E and a multi-sided grip section S between said ends, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In some cases, of course, the multi-sided rod R of FIG. 3 may be purchased, in which case the initial step of the present method involves only turning the ends of this purchased multi-sided rod in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. A further alternative procedure is to first turn the ends of the cylindrical rod R to a sufficiently small diameter that they will pass freely through the multi-sided opening in the draw die D and then pass this turned rod through the draw die to form its grip section with a multi-sided configuration.

The final step of the present method, illustrated in FIG. 5, involves bending the ends E of the drawn and turned rod R of FIG. 4 at right angles to the multi-sided grip section S to form the right-angled ends 16 of the finished grab bar. The wall mounting plates 18 are then placed on the ends of the bar and welded or brazed It is obvious, of course, that it would be possible to omit the turning step of FIG. 4 and merely bend the ends of the multi-sided rod R in FIG. 3. It was found, however, that when bending a rod having a multi-sided section, the flat sides of the rod on the outside of the bend are elongated, the flat sides on the inside of the bend are compressed, and the flat sides at the two sides of the bend tend to warp, resulting in a bar of extremely unpleasing appearance. This problem is avoided, and a grab bar of very pleasing appearance is produced, by turning the ends of the rod, prior to bending, to remove the flats and form the smooth, cylindrical ends which can be easily bent without unpleasing deformation.

The cylindrical ends of the bar also possess the additional advantage that they are better adapted to a precise fit in the circular holes 24 in the mounting plates 18 than multi-sided bar ends.

It is obvious, of course, that the ends of the grab bar illustrated in FIG. 1 might be bent at any desired angle to the center grip portion of the bar other than a right angle, as shown. Also, it is not essential that the bent ends of the bar extend coplanarly and in the same direction from the grip section. For example, the ends of the bar might extend at difierent angles to and in different directions from the center portion of the bar to adapt the latter for attachment to angularly related supporting surfaces or walls.

FIG. 6 illustrates the invention applied to a grab bar 10a in which the center portion 14a of the rod 12:: of the grab bar is formed with an intermediate bend 1611 as well as bent ends 16a so that the finished grab bar has a generally L-shape. When making a grab bar of this type by the present method, the portion of the rod 12a to contain the intermediate bend 16b as well as the ends of the rod are turned down to a cylindrical section prior to bending the rod so as to avoid the problems, discussed earlier, involved in bending a multi-sided rod. Conceiv- V ably, of course, the rod might have more than one intermediate bend, inwhich case each intermediate portion of the rod to contain such a bend is turned down to a cylindrical section prior to bending of the rod. The initialsteps of the present method when making a grab bar such as shown in FIG. 6 are, of course, the same as discussed with reference to the grab bar of FIG. 1.

Generally, a grab bar of the type shown in P16. 6 has one or more intermediate mounting brackets 18a. The additional bracket is attached to the rod 12a in any convenient' way, such as by a screw 24a passing through the rod;

It is clear, therefore, that the invention hereinbefore described and illustrated is fully capable of attaining the objects and advantages preliminarily set forth.

What is claimed is:

The method of making a grab bar which comprises the steps of:-

machining the flats from relatively short end portions only of a metal rod of a polygonal cross section to form smooth,,cylindrical end portions on the rod; and

bending said cylindrical end portions through approximately 90, and then securing a wall mounting plate to each extremity of the thus bent rod.

References Cited in the. file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kroder Mar. 5, Blunt Sept. 12, Connell Apr. 19, Sanford May 2, Leighton Apr. 22, Keahey Oct. 9, Mullen Oct. 8, Crocker June 15, Davis May 19, Ziherl Aug. 4, MacDonald Apr. 27, Hampton Aug. 5,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 23, 

